Sempiternal
by musicluver008
Summary: They had gotten lucky too many times. Now, Fate was done playing games. Ichigo wasn't going to make it through, this time. But is Fate really as cruel a mistress as she is made out to be? Or was there a chance for the two Shinigami, after all?
1. Chapter 1

**I prefer to disregard the fact that Shinigami become spirit particles when they die. I'm an optimist so that's probably why I like to think that they get reincarnated into the World of the Living :) And I think that when a human dies and goes to Soul Society, they show up there in the age of their prime with no memories of their life in the World of the Living. So that's just how I like to think about it.**

**This chapter goes out to all my Bring Me the Horizon fans! It was inspired by Can You Feel My Heart :)**

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He was dying, they both knew it.

Apparently the weather knew it too, because it was raining.

There had been many times since Rukia had shoved her zanpakuto into Ichigo's chest where he had been severely injured. Even when everyone thought that there was no possible way he could survive, he had always managed to pull through. Most of his blood could have seeped out through terrible gashes and he still would have found some way to live. But there was just something about this situation that made it clear that his luck had run out.

At least he got the satisfaction of taking Aizen with him.

The battle was a blur. All he really knew was that he had managed to truly kill Aizen in Karakura Town and now he was on his back with Rukia leaning over him. Concern shone on her face and she would glance around periodically, looking for help. But everyone else was gone, off somewhere, fighting the remaining Espada and Arrancars.

"It-it's okay," Rukia stuttered, looking around. "Someone will sense your dropping spiritual pressure and come."

He kept his eyes on her; breathing was becoming more and more laborious. "Rukia."

Her violet eyes met his amber ones. "Yes?"

He swallowed. "If someone comes, tell them to turn around." He coughed, and blood splattered his lips. "There are…more important lives that need saving."

Rukia blinked back tears, frowning hard. "Don't you _dare_ say that, you fool! You saved the world! You should at least live to help rebuild it."

He chuckled, but his chest ached so he stopped. His hand moved beside him, sliding toward Rukia. She saw what he wanted and clasped his hand in both of hers. He noted idly that while his was calloused, hers were soft as silk.

"What's…gonna happen?" he slurred.

She pursed her lips. "It's different for everyone. You'll end up in Soul Society, but you won't remember…your life."

He knew what she had silently said in her pause. _Me. You won't remember me._

Tears finally started leaking out of her eyes. He drank her in, immensely grateful that she was there. There was no one he'd rather have beside him in his dying moments.

He squeezed her hand. "I don't think I could ever forget you."

She laughed. "You say that now." She paused, looking away for a moment. When her eyes met his, she seemed to search until she found something. "This isn't goodbye, you know. After all we've been through…I know that we'll see each other again."

Ichigo nodded. "You have to tell me everything, on the off-chance that I really don't remember."

She hiccupped. "Okay."

He coughed again and she flinched. "Tell my family…I love them."

She nodded.

He could feel his time coming to a close. But there was so much that he still needed to say.

"Thank you," he rasped.

Rukia just looked at him, eyes flitting over his features as if trying to memorize him. Then, slowly, she leaned down and pressed her lips against his. They both tasted blood and tears and rain and sadness, but they both sighed in content.

And as his world went black, his last thought was…

_Now I _really _have to remember._


	2. Chapter 2

Rukia had been quite restless, lately.

Rebuilding Soul Society was not an easy task. If fact, it was probably the most arduous thing she'd ever done. The person displacement was huge due the number of destroyed barracks and poor Unohona was scrambling to find places for new patients. Her brother was testy due to the large amount of guests staying at the Kuchiki residence. Though most of her friends were there, she never got to see them because there was so much work to do.

Even Rangiku had taken a break from her drinking. That's when Rukia _knew _the situation was serious.

And, probably worst of all, she hadn't gotten to search for Ichigo.

Soul Society was a large place. The task of finding someone in it with no leads should have been extremely daunting. Anyone with a brain had understood that, but it was one thing to think about it and a completely different thing to actually attempt it, even if the person being searched for had bright orange hair.

She had just started her search today.

"Rukia!"

The Shinigami Lieutenant turned to face her Juushiro Ukitake. "Yes, Captain?"

"Where are you going?" asked the white-haired man with a confused scowl.

"I'm visiting Rukongai during my break, sir."

A knowing glint entered his eyes. He smiled kindly. "Well, I am so sorry to pull you away from your much-deserved time off, but there's one more thing I need you to do for me before you go."

Rukia hid her disappointment and nodded. "Yes, sir."

"There's a new student down at the Academy who needs his paperwork filed away. Most of the staff is out helping with reconstruction."

Rukia nodded again with a little more vigor. Filing away paperwork would take no time at all. "Yes, sir."

She bowed before turning and running off for the Academy. She thought it was a bit odd that Captain Ukitake would ask her, his Lieutenant, do perform such a menial task, but she supposed the other seated officers were off helping rebuild.

Rukia arrived at the office that normally belonged to the Shinigami Academy officials. Her chest heaved with large gulps of hair from running so far, but she composed herself before entering. However, what she found immediately stole her newly-acquired breath.

There was a young man sitting in on of the chairs across from the wide table at which the officials normally sat. His shoulders, from what she could see, were broad in quite a familiar way. He was tall, as was obvious in the way his long legs were stretched out in front of him. Judging from the slouched position he was in, he didn't care much for authority.

But what really made her heart stutter was the shock of orange hair he had.

He turned at the sound of her arrival, that trademark scowl still on his face.

"'Bout time," he growled.

She just stood there, mouth slightly agape. Her thoughts were jumbled and scrambled. He was here! Right in front of her! How, out of all the possible people in Soul Society that could possibly be turning in paperwork for the Academy, could _he _be the one that she came across? She had been prepared to spend days, weeks, months, or_ longer _searching for him. But somehow, _he_ had found _her._

His frown deepened as she just stood there. "What's wrong with you?"

She blinked at his voice. Did he remember her?

"Get over here and take care of these papers so I can leave!" Ichigo demanded.

Rukia flinched as a surprising sadness filled her. Did he really not recognize her? She didn't know why she was expecting much else—it was probably because of his confidence in remembering her when he died. She'd let herself hope, and now she was feeling the devastating consequences.

She shook her head slightly. "Um—yes, uh, where are your papers?"

He motioned impatiently to the table, where a stack of papers rested.

"Right," she sighed. She could feel his amber eyes watching her as she shuffled through the papers, briefly checking to make sure they were filled out correctly. It was extremely strange and uncomfortable, being alone with him when he didn't even remember all that they had been through together.

Holding back tears that she was shocked were forming, she put the papers away and turned to face him. She held out her hand. "Rukia Kuchiki, Lieutenant of the Thirteenth Division."

His intense frown lessened a bit. "Ichigo Kurosaki."

He clasped her hand and froze.

Her skin was on fire where it met his. Every nerve in her body was on high-alert as she watched his hazel eyes lose focus. His hand remained, holding hers so tightly she thought he might break it.

The pause seemed to last for an eternity.

Finally, his eyes sharpened and he let her go. "Nice to meet you, Kuchiki."

Not "Rukia." Her heart sank…and crashed.

He made his way to the door. Rukia idly considered how strange it was to see him in an Academy uniform.

Ichigo paused, his hand on the frame of the sliding door. He looked over his shoulder. "Or should I say, 'midget?'"

She gasped, eyes widening impossibly.

They were silently synchronized as she ran and jumped into his waiting arms, which he clamped around her. She smashed her face into his chest, inhaling deeply. He still smelled the same. His heartbeat was the same. The feel of him was the same.

And he remembered her.

Suddenly, she pulled back and punched him harder than she had ever punched him before.

Ichigo rocked back on his heels, his hand flashing up to his nose. Blood seeped out from between his fingers. "What the hell?!"

She angrily wiped at the few tears that had escaped, and saw Ichigo's fury fade.

His scowl turned to one of concern. "Why are you crying?"

"You idiot!" she practically screamed. "I thought that you had truly forgotten me!"

He dragged her out of the hallway they'd somehow stumbled into and shut the door behind them. He then leaned back against the chair he'd been sitting in earlier while she crossed her arms and glared at him.

"To be honest," he said, looking sheepish, "I had, at first. I didn't remember anything except for my name. And then…we touched and it all just came back."

She frowned. "You should have told me as soon as it happened!" Her violet eyes closed and she sighed. "I had thought that, maybe, when you acted funny as we shook hands, that there was a chance. And then you went to leave and I…" She drifted off, hating how vulnerable she sounded.

"Yeah," he said after a second. "I guess that was mean of me."

There was a moment of silence. They stared at each other, soaking in what they'd been missing for so long. But where Ichigo didn't look any different from the vivacious teenager he'd died as, Rukia had changed a little. Her hair was slightly shorter, ending just above her shoulders. Her indigo eyes looked weary, as if she hadn't been sleeping well.

"Your nose is bleeding."

Ichigo snorted and winced. "Wonder whose fault that is." He wiped the blood off with his sleeve.

A small smile curved Rukia's lips. "You deserved it."

He smirked.

She grinned.

He chuckled.

She giggled.

And soon, they were laughing uncontrollably.

His laugh was deep and reverberated through the room. It was a rare sound to hear, since his mood was usually less than happy. But she noticed that his face was so carefree when he laughed. It was an expression she loved.

They calmed down, both enjoying the familiar air that now filled the room. It was as if nothing had changed. It felt like they were both back at the Kurosaki house in Karakura Town, bantering from his bed and the closet she used to reside in.

His eyes became serious. "I told you I would remember."

She smiled. "And I will happily admit that I was wrong. But just this once."

Their lips met in what was utter perfection.


End file.
